Friday’s first AFL Round 6 match is the Anzac day blockbuster between Collingwood Magpies and Essendon Bombers. The opening bounce is set to commence at 2.40 AEST with the game to be played at MCG. The home team Collingwood Magpies are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the Anzac game between Collingwood Magpies and Essendon Bombers.
Round: Round 6, Friday April 25, 2.40 AEST
Stadium: MCG
Weather: 21° Local fog then sunny.
Featured Bookmakers:
Odds Comparison:
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| Collingwood Magpies | 1.60 | 1.57 | 1.55 | 1.57 | N/A | 1.57 |
| Essendon Bombers | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.50 | 2.45 | N/A | 2.45 |
All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.
Tips: Collingwood Magpies to win and cover the line.
Preview:
COLLINGWOOD’S season is trending upward after an impressive 35-point win over North Melbourne, while Essendon have dropped two games in a row and need a win to get their season back on track. A capacity crowd will pack the MCG when these two proud clubs face off on Anzac Day and, as usual, the game could go either way. Doubts over Brendan Goddard’s fitness tip the scales slightly in Collingwood’s favour, with their midfield in red-hot form. Travis Cloke returned to somewhere near his best last week and could prove a handful for Michael Hurley, Cale Hooker and co.
LAST FIVE TIMES
R5, 2013, Essendon 18.13 (121) d Collingwood 10.15 (75) at the MCG
R5, 2012, Collingwood 11.14 (80) d Essendon 11.13 (79) at the MCG
R5, 2011, Collingwood 16.11 (107) d Essendon 11.11 (77) at the MCG
R5, 2010, Collingwood 18.12 (120) d Essendon 8.7 (55) at the MCG
R5, 2009, Essendon 13.15 (93) d Collingwood 12.16 (88) at the MCG
THE SIX POINTS
1. This will be the 20th Anzac Day clash between the Magpies and Bombers, with Collingwood holding the advantage 10 wins to eight, with one draw.
2. Essendon remains the number one ranked team in 2014 for disposals, averaging 421.4 per game. Collingwood is ninth with 359.6 touches a game.
3. The Magpies are ranked third in the competition for marks inside 50, with an average of 14 per game. The Bombers average 12 per game to rank sixth.
4. Essendon’s Dustin Fletcher has played in 16 of the 19 Anzac Day matches since the tradition started back in 1995.
5. Both sides have struggled in the inside 50s category in 2014. Collingwood is ranked 10th in the competition and Essendon is 11th, averaging 50 and 48 per game respectively.
6. Collingwood’s Steele Sidebottom is on the move in the Official AFL Player Ratings, sitting at No. 36 in the competition. Essendon captain Jobe Watson is ranked fifth.
Teams:
Collingwood Magpies:
B: Alan Toovey, Jack Frost, Nick Maxwell
HB:, Clinton Young, Lachlan Keeffe, Heritier Lumumba
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brent Macaffer, Dane Swan
HF: Josh Thomas, Jesse White, Jarryd Blair
F: Jamie Elliott, Travis Cloke, Tyson Goldsack
Fol: Brodie Grundy, Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury
I/C: Alex Fasolo, Luke Ball, Tom Langdon, Jarrod Witts
Emg: Nathan Brown, Taylor Adams, Sam Dwyer
No Change
Essendon Bombers:
B: Dustin Fletcher, Michael Hurley, Michael Hibberd
HB: Mark Baguley, Cale Hooker, Jason Ashby
C: Jackson Merrett, Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton
HF: Paul Chapman, Joe Daniher, Jake Melksham
F: Ben Howlett, Jake Carlisle, Jason Winderlich
Fol: Patrick Ryder, Dyson Heppell, David Zaharakis
I/C: Martin Gleeson, Courtenay Dempsey, Zach Merrett, Kyle Hardingham
Emg: Dylan Van Unen, Tom Bellchambers, Leroy Jetta
In: Courtenay Dempsey, Zach Merrett, Jason Winderlich
Out: Heath Hocking (soreness), Leroy Jetta (omitted), David Myers (hamstring)
News:
Essendon coach Mark Thompson denies he is “blueing” with key position player Jake Carlisle ahead of the Anzac Day blockbuster against Collingwood.
Carlisle has had a mixed start to the season and Thompson said earlier this week that the rising star needed to work harder in games.
After impressing in defence last season, Carlisle is being used this year as a key forward.
Thompson spoke about Carlisle in his weekly video message to Essendon members on Thursday night about team selection.
“Gee, Carlisle – he got a game, fancy that,” Thompson said sarcastically.
“We’re not blueing at all, it’s just a matter of coaching these young men.”
The Essendon coach denied that he and Carlisle argued at one point during last weekend’s loss to St Kilda.
“It got talked about that I was having a fight with him – well, it couldn’t be further from the truth,” Thompson said.
“I’m actually a big supporter of the kid.
“Good luck to Jakey, he wants to play.
“We’ve had a few talks this week and I think he’ll do really well.”
Essendon have taken a selection gamble, naming defender Courtenay Dempsey for his first senior game of the season.
It comes in the same week that Demsey was recalled from a club suspension for not meeting their professional standard, which was imposed earlier this month.
Thompson revealed that Dempsey’s team-mates had lobbied the coaching staff for his recall.
“We’re all very, very happy that he’s in,” Thompson said.
“He’s missed it, he’s had a job, he’s done his rehab and he looks really fit.
“The players really wanted me to consider getting the coaches to put him into the team.
“He excites the team with his pace.”
Thompson added Heath Hocking (groin) and David Myers (hamstring) were not serious injuries.
He said the Bombers did not want to risk sore players early in the season.
While in-form Collingwood are unchanged, Essendon have also regained Jason Winderlich and Zach Merrett and dropped Leroy Jetta.
